Favorite book that has been turned into a movie? A book that you would love to see turned into a movie? Any book that actually turned out to be a pretty good movie.
I love the Harry Potter books and the movies too. There is a series of books by Diana Gabaldon that starts with Outlander that would make either a great movie or a tv series (7 books so far)
I don't think any movie does justice to the book because it takes away your imagination. Just my humble opinion.
Oh man, there a too many to list here. I guess if I have to go with just a couple I'll have to go old school and say Gone With The Wind. It's real high on my favorite book and movie list.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston is one of my favorite books. It was turned into an Oprah-produced TV movie with Halle Berry. I did not watch it.
I don't have a favorite, and there's no book that I am dying to see turned into a movie. That said, there has been talk about Johnny Depp turning Shantaram into a movie.
No, no, no!
The book is far too long and complex. It needs to be an HBO-style 13-episode show.
And quite frankly I don't see Johnny Depp playing the lead.
I liked The Virgin Suicides (Sofia Coppola) and Into the Wild (Sean Penn), both stayed very close to the books and they exactly captured the "feeling" of the books.
Say what you want about Sean Penn, but he did a pretty good job as a director.
@Cindy , I was going to say Outlander series also. However, my friends and I who have read them all have come to the conclusion that a movie(s) would never do the stories justice , there are what ? * books now , each 1000 pages plus? And who would play Jamie and Claire? Never came up with any good answers to that either, although it's fun to play the game!!!
FYI, two other VERY STRONG recommendations if you liked OUtlander 1. By Sara Donati- The WIlderness Series (Claire is even mentioned in one of the books) I think series of 5 books, which is completed. FIrst book called Into the Wilderness
2. The Dalriada Trilogy by Jules Watson.. 3 book series. I wished this one would never end... First book called The WHite Mare
To stay on topic I'd love to see any of these series in the movies.
I have been burned by bood adaptations before. I was disappointed in Jurassic Park - it did not contain a few of my favorite scenes from the book that would have been incredible on screen. And The Firm...dont' get me started. I thought I was in the wrong theater.
My favorite book ever is "The Shipping News". The film was meh, but I loved Scott Glenn and the music. I recently read "Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger, and kept thinking what a great film it would make. Breathtaking scenery, a taut chase scene, sacrifice, redemption, and even a shipwreck!
@Vicki - had the same thought in my head about the Keira Knightley P&P, glad you actually put it to paper. I thought the rest of the casting was pretty good (Rosamund Pike, Matthew McFadyen, Kelly Reilly), but KK was just not the right person for Elizabeth.
Kavalier and Clay would be a perfect miniseries for HBO. I've only had one instance of a movie being better than the book and it was Little Children (movie had kate winslet and patrick wilson) the ending of the book and movie were very different. I did not like the book ending but enjoyed the movies ending. The movie is very good, and it recieved a best supporting nod for jackie earle haley.
And hello everyone, I can finally comment!!! Google is not in English on my PC, and I could never figure out how to comment. I have been a loyal reader and lurker for years.
Book(s) into a movie? Hands down, the Saint Germaine series by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. The books are written on multiple levels - historical, romance and horror (the main character is a 5k year old vampire/alchemist)and work on all levels - they have been a personal addiction since the first one was published in 1978 (she's up to about 30 now) Don't see it happening, but it's definitely on my wish list. Can't think of anything else I'd like to see on screen, however when it comes to turning books into screenplays, I really really really do wish that the screenwriters would actually take the time to READ the source material instead of relying on a brief synopsis and going from there.
I actually thought Jurassic Park came out pretty good.
Before they became a movie, I would have said Janet Evanovich number series (one for the money etc) I laugh out loud sometimes. That said, the movie was horrible, a lot of casting mistakes, terrible acting. Yuck!
I haven't yet seen The Hunger Games so hoping that it will be good.
Princess Bride - favorite comfort book loved the movie
I would love to see the Piers Anthony Xanth books done, I think they would be a hoot. I would also loke to see the Elizabeth Peters - Amelia Peabody series done though I doubt they could find a good enough Amelia much less Emerson. They are also making Ender's Game, so that is a huge "yippee" for me.
Ms. Cool and Nichole, she RUINED that movie. I fucking hate The Jaw. She almost, ALMOST, ruined Love Actually, but thank god the rest of the cast made up for her.
@Turkish Taffy - hi, welcome to the comments section. I loved Shipping News as well, but I thought they did an incredible job with the film.
I can't think of what I liked right now, but I will say that the latest Hollywood version of Jane Eyre missed the mark as far as adaptation goes. I was disappointed.
It takes ALOT for me to enjoy the movie as much as the book: The Godfather and Gone with the Wind are pretty much the only two that lived up to expectations.
I did think Renee Z did a bangup job as Bridget Jones, but the films do the books NO JUSTICE at all.
And the first Confessions of a Shopaholic book was amazingly fab. The movie, quite dull, IMO.
I'm with you @Cindy about the Outlander books. If you could turn a fictional character into flesh and bone, Jamie would reside at the top of my Freebee Five forever.
But I have to agree with @ Lulu G. I suspect a movie or even movies couldn't live up to the books. It would probably end up so lost in translation that the connection that I have with the characters would be lost. Oh well.
I'm a first time commenter but I can't resist talking about books. My favorite book is Mists of Avalon and the movie was made for TV but it was actually pretty good. I would love to see any of Wally Lamb's books made into movies, and more of Jennifer Weiner's. In Her Shoes was decent but I like some of her other books more. I agree that Gone With The Wind is one of the best book to move adaptations.
I couldn't stand her as Frannie, either. I lover her, but thought she was terribly miscast. The rest of the series was great. I thought the movie Fried Green Tomatoes was a better movie than the book.
Shantaram has been kicking around Hollywood for awhile. Johnny Depp was originally listed as possible cast, but I think more Pirates, Dark Shadows, and The Lone Ranger tied him up. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429087/
The French Lieutenant's Woman, The Razor's Edge (1946,) To Kill A Mockingbird, A Christmas Memory (Truman Capote,) Sophie's Choice, The Color Purple. Many more that don't come to mind immediately.
@Agent**It - Yes! Silence of the Lambs is by far one of the best adaptations. Normally, I try not to watch the movie versions of books that I have read because I get all punchy, but not in this case.
@david91 - I liked the movie version of The Virgin Suicides better than the book, but it only gets the edge because of the soundtrack. I loved the book.
@TurkishTaffy - I agree w/you, MR drove me nuts. Could never figure out why she was cast. When she was onscreen, all I saw was her previous characters, not Frannie.
The Stand was the best King adaptation, IMO. (And a creepy, creepy book.)
A subject after my own heart! I'm writing down all the titles I haven't read so I can look into them. :)
I also loved the BBC Pride and Prejudice, the only good thing about the Keira Knightly version was the set design (couldn't you practically smell the scenes?)
An old favorite of mine is I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. I try to read the book at least once every few years because it seems so quietly Spring-y to me but the movie hits the nostalgia spot just as well.
savages by Don Winslow rocked; I am looking forward to the movie with trepidation. The new Tinker, tailor, Soldier Spy adaptation was very good. Would love to see the winter of Frankie Machine and the gentlmen's hour also by Don winslow adapted well.
Hotel New Hampshire, World According to Garp, Sophie's Choice, as a young reader I hated all the parts that were different in Gone with the Wind but it is still a wonderful movie.
Almost any of the Thin Man movies. William Powell and Myrna Loy just WERE Nick and Nora Charles.
Terms of Endearment--or any of Larry McMurtry's Texasville novels that were made into movies.
The Godfather of course. Wise Guy which became Goodfellas. Hannibal. Girl With The Dragon Tattoo movie (U.S version) was incredible. Devil Wears Prada was a better book than movie - I liked how Miranda was this Darth Vader like figure that hardly ever appeared. But you don't hire Meryl Streep and keep her off screen for the movie, do you?
Who has seen The Colour Purple. Loved the book. Afraid to ever see the movie. Will probably see The Great Gatsby remake. Leo is how I pictured Jay Gatsby
I would love to see "Day of the Minotaur" by Thomas Burnett Swann filmed. If it were done right, it'd be amazing. Published in (I think) 1967, my used copy was read and re-read dozens of times when I was in college. It kept me semi-sane during some very insane times. I'd read it again, but my now ancient copy is too fragile to read.
Hey, does anybody else remember older version of Pride and Prejudies with Colin Firth? It was really good. And the actors were briliant. In fact Colin Firth character D'Arcy was so impessive that Bridget Jones autor named her main male character after him.
trouble bubble - and then Colin Firth played Mark Darcy in the Bridget Jones movie - quite sexily, I might add.
My favourite book to movie was Ronia The Robber's Daughter (Astrid Lindgren). Yes, it's from my childhood, but it was MAGICAL. Actually, most of her books that were made into movies and TV shows in the 80's were amazing.
Best film adaptation. There are so many. Of the top of my head however I think I'd say "To Kill a Mockingbird."
The book I always wanted to see turned into a movie was Alfred Bester's classic science fiction tale, "The Stars My Destination." Basically, it's a science fiction version of "The Count of Monte Cristo." In the past I always thought it was unfilmable, but with today's level of animation I think you could do it quite nicely.
Best film adaptation that has absolutely nothing to do with the original literary source: The science fiction classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still" which is theoretically based on Harry Bates' short story "Farewell to the Master." But the only thing the two actually have in common is the name of the alien visitor, Klaatu.
dbelsky-thanks for mentioning Swan Song! I just ordered it for my kindle. Post apocalyptic is one of my favorite genres. My favorite three are: One Second After, Lights Out, and Patriots. I know it's cheesy but I'd love to see Stephen King's Under the Dome made into a movie!
@lulu and mamabear -- I agree about the movies, unless there was a movie for every 2 chapters, lol. I think HBO should pick the series up and make it for 2 hours each week. I could live with that. As for Jaime -- I totally agree mamabear -- top of the list. HOWEVER, if they even look at Robert Pattinson for casting, I will have to beat someone up.
Although she was not who I would have cast, I think Keira Knightly's best work is as Elizabeth Bennett in Pride & Prejudice. She doesn't put one foot wrong in that movie. I *love* that adaption. It's funny that while I adore Jennifer Ehle, she at times seems almost matronly in the 1995 version and (don't flame me!) I love Matthew MacFayden's Darcy more than Colin Firth. He had a brooding quality that Firth's Darcy didn't. Firth was often just... snippy. When I'm watching the 2005 movie I often wish that it was a miniseries so it was longer. I prefer it to the 1995 version. The cast is superb. Love, love, *LOVE* it.
@ Laura - In "To Kill a Mockingbird" for dramatic license they had Boo appear from behind a door (I get goosebumps just thinking of Scout saying, "Well, hey, Boo!". That was different from the book, but so masterfully done! And that was Robert Duvall! Wonderful book and wonderful movie.
1.Pride & Prejudice(w/Colin Firth) 2.To Kill a Mockingbird 3.The Color Purple 4.Brokeback Mountain (Short Story) 5.The Dead(SS) I loved Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon & William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying would to see those made into movies.
Books that have already been turned into a movie: - Lord of The Rings trilogy, - Stand by Me, - and I did not mind the Hunger Games. - I actually didn't mind The Lovely Bones (considering what had to be created to achieve Suzie's afterlife), - or The Time Traveller's Wife (again, given the nature of the story itself, I thought they did a good job). And as for books into tv: - The Southern Vampire Mysteries/ True Blood (season 4notwithstanding). - Game of Thrones
Least favourite books into movies: there are so many, - but Interview With the Vampire (Tom Cruise is NOT Lestat - I feel quite passionately about this!!!) -Twilight (mostly because of KStew).
Books that I would love to see turned into movies: - The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen - in the right hands, I think it could be fantastic! - I'm with the others who mentioned Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, and - The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward - total smut, but if one of the fine people at HBO got their hands on it, it would be a fantastic series ... however, in the wrong hands it could become something like cheezy soft core from the late 80's/ early 90's (Yeah, I'm looking at you Zalman King, and whoever else came up with the Red Shoe Diaries).
While we're on the topic of books into movies - I would like to know what happened to some film franchises that sort of started a few years ago: Eragon, The Golden Compass, The Lemony Snicket movies, The Spiderwick Chronicles ... each got a first instalment, but then they all seem to have stalled, and most of the young actors from these movies are too old to reprise their roles. Maybe instead of the constant stream of terrible re-makes, and proverbial dead horse floggings (in this case, I'm referring to the talk of a 6th Twilight instalment), someone could pick up where these series were left off?
I think "The Princess Bride" and "The Accidental Tourist" immediately come to mind as being particularly good adaptations. Also, "The English Patient," which seemed to me impossible to make into a film but turned out to be a movie I liked a lot.
I'd really like to see someone make a movie of Chuck Palahniuk's "Damned," only because it's weird and funny, but probably impossible to adapt to a movie without sanitizing it beyond recognition.
I really liked the youth fiction, "Hatchet." I never saw the movie that was made of it, but I saw "Cast Away" right after I read "Hatchet," and thought there were entire scenes in the movie lifted right from that book, almost verbatim. It seemed like blatant plagiarism.
OMG, Mango, I am going to try to forget everything you wrote in your first paragraph! Aack!
Stephanie, thank you for mentioning I Capture the Castle! I love the book and the movie!
Another book and movie combo I love is Cold Comfort Farm, by Stella Gibbons, movie starring Kate Beckinsale. Love it, love it, love it! I've read the book at least 10 times and have seen the movie at least 15. So funny!
Lisa(not original), thank you for calling out Starship Troopers. That jackhole Paul Verhoeven RUINED the movie. He admits he got bored reading the novel and never finished it, then shot a movie that had NOTHING to do with the book. Jerk.
Another one of my favorite books has both the worst and best adaptations -- A Room with a View. Fantastic 1985 movie with Bonham Carter, Dench, Smith, Elliott, Day Lewis, and Sands. Horrible remake written by Andrew Davies (who also ruined Vanity Fair) in 2007.
Like many of you, I loved Pride & Prejudice - BBC Miniseries. I loathe (like Madonna and hydrangeas) Keira Knightley. However, James McAvoy saved her in Atonement.
The antithesis of this would be Twilight - that has to be the worst movie ever made! I did enjoy the book for what it was, but I have never been able to sit through that pos.
I must admit, I've read many books that have been translated into films, but I never give the movie a go because I'm convinced it will be ruined: Time Traveler's Wife and Notes on a Scandal are just two examples. I was mesmerized by those crazy books. Like, I couldn't put them down. Is Notes on a Scandal any good?
I think I must read Never Let Me Go. Remains of the Day was an amazing book. Again, never saw either film.
Haven't read Notes on a Scandal or Remains of the Day, but both movies were brilliant. I tend to read books after the movie. One that I read before was Schindler's Ark which became Schindler's List. They whitewashed Schindler a bit in the movie and I felt the Jewish voices were lost compared to the book. Thought Tom Hanks was woefully miscast in The DaVinci Code. Spent the entire book picturing Clive Owen in the role. Would love to see it remade with actors more appropriate to the lead roles.
This one will be a weird one .. but "Airport." The book is actually better than the movie .. but I still love the movie. It is my fantasy that some day they will remake it as a mini-series. I know .. I am sick. ; )
Hmmm...fav book that has already been turned into a movie would be Of Mice and Men with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich. Book that I would like to see made into a movie?? Envy or Rainwater by Sandra Brown. Also, I have high hopes for 50 Shades of Grey as a movie, as long as they don't try to PG13 it and keep the raunchy aspect. With the right actors I think the story has merit.
Age of Innocence. Hands down the most faithful adaptation of a movie from a book I've seen so far.
ReplyDeleteWould love to see an adaptation of Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible. I blitzed through that in four days, it was so good.
I love the Harry Potter books and the movies too. There is a series of books by Diana Gabaldon that starts with Outlander that would make either a great movie or a tv series (7 books so far)
ReplyDeleteI don't think any movie does justice to the book because it takes away your imagination. Just my humble opinion.
Oh man, there a too many to list here.
ReplyDeleteI guess if I have to go with just a couple I'll have to go old school and say Gone With The Wind. It's real high on my favorite book and movie list.
Terms of Endearment as well.
Lonsesome Dove even though it was a mini series.
Harry Potter.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston is one of my favorite books. It was turned into an Oprah-produced TV movie with Halle Berry. I did not watch it.
ReplyDeleteTo Kill a Mockingbird - great book and movie!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a favorite, and there's no book that I am dying to see turned into a movie. That said, there has been talk about Johnny Depp turning Shantaram into a movie.
ReplyDeleteNo, no, no!
The book is far too long and complex. It needs to be an HBO-style 13-episode show.
And quite frankly I don't see Johnny Depp playing the lead.
I liked The Virgin Suicides (Sofia Coppola) and Into the Wild (Sean Penn), both stayed very close to the books and they exactly captured the "feeling" of the books.
ReplyDeleteSay what you want about Sean Penn, but he did a pretty good job as a director.
Silence of the Lambs
ReplyDeleteand "the Godfather"
ReplyDeleteI would like to see Cutting for Stone (Abraham Varghese) turned into a movie.
ReplyDeleteThe Harry Potter movies were pretty exciting.
L.A. Confidential is a great adaptation, they cut out a whole subplot with one (massive) change, which feels organic to the story.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see either Carter Beats the Devil or Kavalier and Clay made into movies.
@Cindy , I was going to say Outlander series also. However, my friends and I who have read them all have come to the conclusion that a movie(s) would never do the stories justice , there are what ? * books now , each 1000 pages plus? And who would play Jamie and Claire? Never came up with any good answers to that either, although it's fun to play the game!!!
ReplyDeleteFYI, two other VERY STRONG recommendations if you liked OUtlander
1. By Sara Donati- The WIlderness Series (Claire is even mentioned in one of the books) I think series of 5 books, which is completed. FIrst book called Into the Wilderness
2. The Dalriada Trilogy by Jules Watson.. 3 book series. I wished this one would never end... First book called The WHite Mare
To stay on topic I'd love to see any of these series in the movies.
Pride & Prejudice - BBC Miniseries (Fuck that Keira Knightley shit)
ReplyDeleteWould LOVE to see I Am Fifteen and I Do Not Want to Die made into a movie. One of my favorite books ever.
Don't laugh....
ReplyDeleteThe Notebook
Right on, Vicki. BBC Pride and Prejudice is the bomb.
ReplyDeleteThe Harry Potter series, the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice
ReplyDeleteWould love to see A Vintage Affair turned into a movie
I have been burned by bood adaptations before. I was disappointed in Jurassic Park - it did not contain a few of my favorite scenes from the book that would have been incredible on screen. And The Firm...dont' get me started. I thought I was in the wrong theater.
ReplyDeletePretty happy with the HP movies though.
Would love to see "Infidel - By Ayaan Hirsi Ali" made into a film.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite book ever is "The Shipping News". The film was meh, but I loved Scott Glenn and the music. I recently read "Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger, and kept thinking what a great film it would make. Breathtaking scenery, a taut chase scene, sacrifice, redemption, and even a shipwreck!
ReplyDelete@Vicki - had the same thought in my head about the Keira Knightley P&P, glad you actually put it to paper. I thought the rest of the casting was pretty good (Rosamund Pike, Matthew McFadyen, Kelly Reilly), but KK was just not the right person for Elizabeth.
ReplyDeleteKavalier and Clay would be a perfect miniseries for HBO. I've only had one instance of a movie being better than the book and it was Little Children (movie had kate winslet and patrick wilson) the ending of the book and movie were very different. I did not like the book ending but enjoyed the movies ending. The movie is very good, and it recieved a best supporting nod for jackie earle haley.
ReplyDeleteAnd hello everyone, I can finally comment!!! Google is not in English on my PC, and I could never figure out how to comment. I have been a loyal reader and lurker for years.
ReplyDeleteBook(s) into a movie?
ReplyDeleteHands down, the Saint Germaine series by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.
The books are written on multiple levels - historical, romance and horror (the main character is a 5k year old vampire/alchemist)and work on all levels - they have been a personal addiction since the first one was published in 1978 (she's up to about 30 now)
Don't see it happening, but it's definitely on my wish list.
Can't think of anything else I'd like to see on screen, however when it comes to turning books into screenplays, I really really really do wish that the screenwriters would actually take the time to READ the source material instead of relying on a brief synopsis and going from there.
the princess bride is way better as a movie than the actual book.
ReplyDeleteI actually thought Jurassic Park came out pretty good.
ReplyDeleteBefore they became a movie, I would have said Janet Evanovich number series (one for the money etc) I laugh out loud sometimes. That said, the movie was horrible, a lot of casting mistakes, terrible acting. Yuck!
I haven't yet seen The Hunger Games so hoping that it will be good.
50 Shades of Grey? lol
Yes, Kavalier and Clay would be a good miniseries. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeletePrincess Bride - favorite comfort book loved the movie
ReplyDeleteI would love to see the Piers Anthony Xanth books done, I think they would be a hoot. I would also loke to see the Elizabeth Peters - Amelia Peabody series done though I doubt they could find a good enough Amelia much less Emerson. They are also making Ender's Game, so that is a huge "yippee" for me.
I have no fav book to movie - all the book to movie movies I've ever seen don't even compare to the book.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I would love to see 50 shades made into a movie. And no, not for the porn.
Favorite book to movie: Atonement by Ian McEwan
ReplyDeleteLease favorite: The World According To Garp by John Irving (some great performances, but the book is my fave of all time and they really fucked it up)
Book I Can't Wait For the Adaptation Of: The Passage by Justin Cronin
Book I Hope They'll Adapt One Day: The Catcher In The Rye by Salinger
I had put Never Let Me Go, but forgot how good Atonement was, the book and the movie!!
DeleteSwan Song by Robert McCammon...UNBELIEVABLE book...I've always have said it would make an EPIC movie...even could be a triology.
ReplyDeleteThe Pianist. The movie followed the book to a T. Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourites is Breakfast of Champions but I haven’t watched the movie. I heard it was crap!
ReplyDeleteMs. Cool and Nichole, she RUINED that movie. I fucking hate The Jaw. She almost, ALMOST, ruined Love Actually, but thank god the rest of the cast made up for her.
ReplyDelete@Turkish Taffy - hi, welcome to the comments section. I loved Shipping News as well, but I thought they did an incredible job with the film.
ReplyDeleteI can't think of what I liked right now, but I will say that the latest Hollywood version of Jane Eyre missed the mark as far as adaptation goes. I was disappointed.
Armistead Maupin's 'TALES OF THE CITY' -- not a movie, but a long extended mini-series on PBS in the 90's. Loved the books, loved the series.
ReplyDeleteThe miniseries made from Stephen King's The Stand is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteIt takes ALOT for me to enjoy the movie as much as the book: The Godfather and Gone with the Wind are pretty much the only two that lived up to expectations.
ReplyDeleteI did think Renee Z did a bangup job as Bridget Jones, but the films do the books NO JUSTICE at all.
And the first Confessions of a Shopaholic book was amazingly fab. The movie, quite dull, IMO.
Easy. It's Ghost World (2001)
ReplyDeleteI'm with you @Cindy about the Outlander books. If you could turn a fictional character into flesh and bone, Jamie would reside at the top of my Freebee Five forever.
ReplyDeleteBut I have to agree with @ Lulu G. I suspect a movie or even movies couldn't live up to the books. It would probably end up so lost in translation that the connection that I have with the characters would be lost. Oh well.
Movies that were WAY better than the books:
ReplyDelete--The Devil Wears Prada
--Bridget Jones's Diary
--Election
I'm a first time commenter but I can't resist talking about books. My favorite book is Mists of Avalon and the movie was made for TV but it was actually pretty good.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see any of Wally Lamb's books made into movies, and more of Jennifer Weiner's. In Her Shoes was decent but I like some of her other books more.
I agree that Gone With The Wind is one of the best book to move adaptations.
The World According to Garp. Awesome book, awesome movie.
ReplyDelete@EmEyeKay: Thanks for the welcome. The film wasn't bad, just not as amazing as the book.
ReplyDelete@nolachickeee: "The Stand" would have been perfection, except for Molly Ringwald as Frannie. Couldn't stand her.
I couldn't stand her as Frannie, either. I lover her, but thought she was terribly miscast. The rest of the series was great.
ReplyDeleteI thought the movie Fried Green Tomatoes was a better movie than the book.
Loved the original Mildred Pierce, with Joan Crawford. Made from a great James M. Cain novel.
ReplyDeleteFast Times at Ridgemont High was a fantastic movie made from a book, but I must admit I can hardly remember the book. I think I read it.
Grand Hotel, from the Vicki Baum novel, was also a pretty rockin' movie. Also with Crawford, plus John Barrymore and Greta Garbo.
Sophie's Choice. Great book, great movie.
ReplyDeleteAm anxiously awaiting Ang Li's Life of Pi, which was a great book.
And I second the suggestion of SHANTARAM. An amazing book that deserves adaptation.
I was impressed at the movie "Moneyball" as compared to the book. It really made a kind of dry subject come alive.
ReplyDeleteShantaram has been kicking around Hollywood for awhile. Johnny Depp was originally listed as possible cast, but I think more Pirates, Dark Shadows, and The Lone Ranger tied him up. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429087/
ReplyDeleteThe French Lieutenant's Woman, The Razor's Edge (1946,) To Kill A Mockingbird, A Christmas Memory (Truman Capote,) Sophie's Choice, The Color Purple. Many more that don't come to mind immediately.
ReplyDelete@Agent**It - Yes! Silence of the Lambs is by far one of the best adaptations. Normally, I try not to watch the movie versions of books that I have read because I get all punchy, but not in this case.
ReplyDelete@david91 - I liked the movie version of The Virgin Suicides better than the book, but it only gets the edge because of the soundtrack. I loved the book.
@Kelly: I loved the Life of Pi but I cannot even imagine how they would make it a movie.
ReplyDeleteWelcome Taffy!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@still here - you're so right!
ReplyDelete@TurkishTaffy - I agree w/you, MR drove me nuts. Could never figure out why she was cast. When she was onscreen, all I saw was her previous characters, not Frannie.
The Stand was the best King adaptation, IMO. (And a creepy, creepy book.)
A subject after my own heart! I'm writing down all the titles I haven't read so I can look into them. :)
ReplyDeleteI also loved the BBC Pride and Prejudice, the only good thing about the Keira Knightly version was the set design (couldn't you practically smell the scenes?)
An old favorite of mine is I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. I try to read the book at least once every few years because it seems so quietly Spring-y to me but the movie hits the nostalgia spot just as well.
savages by Don Winslow rocked; I am looking forward to the movie with trepidation. The new Tinker, tailor, Soldier Spy adaptation was very good. Would love to see the winter of Frankie Machine and the gentlmen's hour also by Don winslow adapted well.
ReplyDeleteI adore "To Kill a Mockingbird", Gregory Peck can do no wrong
ReplyDeleteHotel New Hampshire, World According to Garp, Sophie's Choice, as a young reader I hated all the parts that were different in Gone with the Wind but it is still a wonderful movie.
ReplyDeleteAlmost any of the Thin Man movies. William Powell and Myrna Loy just WERE Nick and Nora Charles.
Terms of Endearment--or any of Larry McMurtry's Texasville novels that were made into movies.
Edna Ferber's Giant....
The Godfather of course. Wise Guy which became Goodfellas. Hannibal. Girl With The Dragon Tattoo movie (U.S version) was incredible. Devil Wears Prada was a better book than movie - I liked how Miranda was this Darth Vader like figure that hardly ever appeared. But you don't hire Meryl Streep and keep her off screen for the movie, do you?
ReplyDeleteBridget Jones was a gamechanger for me.
ReplyDeleteI CANNOT WAIT FOR THE GLASS CASTLE!
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ReplyDeleteWho has seen The Colour Purple. Loved the book. Afraid to ever see the movie. Will probably see The Great Gatsby remake. Leo is how I pictured Jay Gatsby
ReplyDeleteI want to see Stephen King's The Dark Tower series turned into 15 movies hahaha
ReplyDeleteI would love to see "Day of the Minotaur" by Thomas Burnett Swann filmed. If it were done right, it'd be amazing. Published in (I think) 1967, my used copy was read and re-read dozens of times when I was in college. It kept me semi-sane during some very insane times. I'd read it again, but my now ancient copy is too fragile to read.
ReplyDeleteHey, does anybody else remember older version of Pride and Prejudies with Colin Firth? It was really good. And the actors were briliant. In fact Colin Firth character D'Arcy was so impessive that Bridget Jones autor named her main male character after him.
ReplyDeleteFight Club. Awesome book. Awesome movie
ReplyDeleteRalph Ellison's Invisible Man. Just wow, that would be amazing for me.
ReplyDeletetrouble bubble - and then Colin Firth played Mark Darcy in the Bridget Jones movie - quite sexily, I might add.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite book to movie was Ronia The Robber's Daughter (Astrid Lindgren). Yes, it's from my childhood, but it was MAGICAL. Actually, most of her books that were made into movies and TV shows in the 80's were amazing.
The movie was WAY better than the book was The Wonder Boys. The movie was great, but the book was dreck!
ReplyDeleteI liked the original TV version of 'Salem's Lot. I think Tobe Cooper did a great job with it. I thought the remake with Rob Lowe sucked.
I also liked Stanley Kubrick's version of The Shining. Stephen King does not agree with me and remade it.
I liked Gone with the Wind better as a movie than a book.
Best film adaptation. There are so many. Of the top of my head however I think I'd say "To Kill a Mockingbird."
ReplyDeleteThe book I always wanted to see turned into a movie was Alfred Bester's classic science fiction tale, "The Stars My Destination." Basically, it's a science fiction version of "The Count of Monte Cristo." In the past I always thought it was unfilmable, but with today's level of animation I think you could do it quite nicely.
Best film adaptation that has absolutely nothing to do with the original literary source: The science fiction classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still" which is theoretically based on Harry Bates' short story "Farewell to the Master." But the only thing the two actually have in common is the name of the alien visitor, Klaatu.
dbelsky-thanks for mentioning Swan Song! I just ordered it for my kindle. Post apocalyptic is one of my favorite genres. My favorite three are: One Second After, Lights Out, and Patriots.
ReplyDeleteI know it's cheesy but I'd love to see Stephen King's Under the Dome made into a movie!
The best book-to-movie films have been The Godfather and Like Water For Chocolate.
ReplyDeleteShawshank or Stand by Me. They both follow the book acurately enough and the screen portrayal jives with how I pictured it in my head.
ReplyDelete2001: A Space Odyssey. Movies from books don't get much better than that.
ReplyDeleteFear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Boom!
ReplyDelete@lulu and mamabear -- I agree about the movies, unless there was a movie for every 2 chapters, lol. I think HBO should pick the series up and make it for 2 hours each week. I could live with that. As for Jaime -- I totally agree mamabear -- top of the list. HOWEVER, if they even look at Robert Pattinson for casting, I will have to beat someone up.
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ReplyDeleteAdd me to all the Godfather fans.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see The Secret History as a film.
jax - The Glass Castle !!! I hope they don't screw it up. A wonderful book.
ReplyDeleteFavorite: Gone With the Wind
ReplyDeleteLove to see: Stranger in a Strange Land or Skinny Legs and All
Worst: Starship Troopers
How about book you don't want ruined by being turned into a movie?
Ender's Game
Although she was not who I would have cast, I think Keira Knightly's best work is as Elizabeth Bennett in Pride & Prejudice. She doesn't put one foot wrong in that movie. I *love* that adaption. It's funny that while I adore Jennifer Ehle, she at times seems almost matronly in the 1995 version and (don't flame me!) I love Matthew MacFayden's Darcy more than Colin Firth. He had a brooding quality that Firth's Darcy didn't. Firth was often just... snippy. When I'm watching the 2005 movie I often wish that it was a miniseries so it was longer. I prefer it to the 1995 version. The cast is superb. Love, love, *LOVE* it.
ReplyDelete@ Laura - In "To Kill a Mockingbird" for dramatic license they had Boo appear from behind a door (I get goosebumps just thinking of Scout saying, "Well, hey, Boo!". That was different from the book, but so masterfully done! And that was Robert Duvall! Wonderful book and wonderful movie.
1.Pride & Prejudice(w/Colin Firth)
ReplyDelete2.To Kill a Mockingbird
3.The Color Purple
4.Brokeback Mountain (Short Story)
5.The Dead(SS)
I loved Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon & William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying would to see those made into movies.
I'd like to see Confessions of a Shopaholic made onto a movie by Brits. The American version was so disappointing.
ReplyDeleteI'm with the Harry Potter & BBC's Pride & Prejudice people.
Bridget Jones was pretty great.
There are a lot of books that have been made into film that could have been done better.
Not sure if it counts as a movie, but I loved Shogun!Awesome book, awesome movie, very complex.
ReplyDeleteAlso on the P&P(british) and Godfather, and Harry Potter trains.
Loved Hunger games, but the book was way better....at least in my head it was.
Books that have already been turned into a movie:
ReplyDelete- Lord of The Rings trilogy,
- Stand by Me,
- and I did not mind the Hunger Games.
- I actually didn't mind The Lovely Bones (considering what had to be created to achieve Suzie's afterlife),
- or The Time Traveller's Wife (again, given the nature of the story itself, I thought they did a good job).
And as for books into tv:
- The Southern Vampire Mysteries/ True Blood (season 4notwithstanding).
- Game of Thrones
Least favourite books into movies: there are so many,
- but Interview With the Vampire (Tom Cruise is NOT Lestat - I feel quite passionately about this!!!)
-Twilight (mostly because of KStew).
Books that I would love to see turned into movies:
- The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen - in the right hands, I think it could be fantastic!
- I'm with the others who mentioned Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, and
- The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward - total smut, but if one of the fine people at HBO got their hands on it, it would be a fantastic series ... however, in the wrong hands it could become something like cheezy soft core from the late 80's/ early 90's (Yeah, I'm looking at you Zalman King, and whoever else came up with the Red Shoe Diaries).
While we're on the topic of books into movies - I would like to know what happened to some film franchises that sort of started a few years ago: Eragon, The Golden Compass, The Lemony Snicket movies, The Spiderwick Chronicles ... each got a first instalment, but then they all seem to have stalled, and most of the young actors from these movies are too old to reprise their roles. Maybe instead of the constant stream of terrible re-makes, and proverbial dead horse floggings (in this case, I'm referring to the talk of a 6th Twilight instalment), someone could pick up where these series were left off?
LOVED Memoirs of a Geisha. The movie not at all.
ReplyDeleteLOVED Memoirs of a Geisha. The movie not at all.
ReplyDeleteLOVED Memoirs of a Geisha. The movie not at all.
ReplyDeleteI loved the book: "The Last Convertible", and it was made into a miniseries... Never saw it, but I'd like to.
ReplyDeleteSame with "Joy In The Morning" and "Portrait of Jenny", both old movies, but I grew up loving those 2 books.
I would love to see "Outlander" as well.
Jennifer Crusie books could be fun: "Faking It", and "Fast Women".
"Garden Spells" and "The Girl Who Chased The Moon" by Sarah Addison Allen would be magical...
The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed......
ReplyDeleteI think "The Princess Bride" and "The Accidental Tourist" immediately come to mind as being particularly good adaptations. Also, "The English Patient," which seemed to me impossible to make into a film but turned out to be a movie I liked a lot.
ReplyDeleteI'd really like to see someone make a movie of Chuck Palahniuk's "Damned," only because it's weird and funny, but probably impossible to adapt to a movie without sanitizing it beyond recognition.
I really liked the youth fiction, "Hatchet." I never saw the movie that was made of it, but I saw "Cast Away" right after I read "Hatchet," and thought there were entire scenes in the movie lifted right from that book, almost verbatim. It seemed like blatant plagiarism.
I just saw the new BluRay of Clueless. That was pretty great. So I'll say any & every adaptation of the following six books:
ReplyDeleteSense & Sensibility
Pride and Prejudice
Emma
Mansfield Park
Northanger Abby
Persuasion
@Sue Ellen Mishkey, I forgot about "Stand By Me." I loved reading it ("The Body")and thought the movie was very well done and true to the story.
ReplyDeleteOMG, Mango, I am going to try to forget everything you wrote in your first paragraph! Aack!
ReplyDeleteStephanie, thank you for mentioning I Capture the Castle! I love the book and the movie!
Another book and movie combo I love is Cold Comfort Farm, by Stella Gibbons, movie starring Kate Beckinsale. Love it, love it, love it! I've read the book at least 10 times and have seen the movie at least 15. So funny!
Lisa(not original), thank you for calling out Starship Troopers. That jackhole Paul Verhoeven RUINED the movie. He admits he got bored reading the novel and never finished it, then shot a movie that had NOTHING to do with the book. Jerk.
Another one of my favorite books has both the worst and best adaptations -- A Room with a View. Fantastic 1985 movie with Bonham Carter, Dench, Smith, Elliott, Day Lewis, and Sands. Horrible remake written by Andrew Davies (who also ruined Vanity Fair) in 2007.
Never Let Me Go-Kazuo Ishiguro
ReplyDeleteTo Kill a Mockingbird. I agree with a lot of your choices. I also love Charlotte's Web and The Green Mile movies.
ReplyDeleteI thought Boy's Life (Robert R. McCammon) would have made a good movie.
Like many of you, I loved Pride & Prejudice - BBC Miniseries. I loathe (like Madonna and hydrangeas) Keira Knightley. However, James McAvoy saved her in Atonement.
ReplyDeleteThe antithesis of this would be Twilight - that has to be the worst movie ever made! I did enjoy the book for what it was, but I have never been able to sit through that pos.
I must admit, I've read many books that have been translated into films, but I never give the movie a go because I'm convinced it will be ruined: Time Traveler's Wife and Notes on a Scandal are just two examples. I was mesmerized by those crazy books. Like, I couldn't put them down. Is Notes on a Scandal any good?
ReplyDeleteI think I must read Never Let Me Go. Remains of the Day was an amazing book. Again, never saw either film.
You have to read Never Let Me Go!! It is so bad IMHO. After I read it, I would think about it all the time. It is so heartbreaking, but so good!
DeleteUm hello bad=GOOD! It must be my bed time :-/
DeleteHaven't read Notes on a Scandal or Remains of the Day, but both movies were brilliant.
ReplyDeleteI tend to read books after the movie. One that I read before was Schindler's Ark which became Schindler's List. They whitewashed Schindler a bit in the movie and I felt the Jewish voices were lost compared to the book. Thought Tom Hanks was woefully miscast in The DaVinci Code. Spent the entire book picturing Clive Owen in the role. Would love to see it remade with actors more appropriate to the lead roles.
@May Flower
ReplyDeleteAfter I posted Stand by Me I realised I should have called it The Body. Glad you did.
Honestly, all four of the novellas in Different Seasons are good, though I liked Apt Pupil the least.
*Guilty Pleasure Alert*
ReplyDeleteThis one will be a weird one .. but "Airport." The book is actually better than the movie .. but I still love the movie. It is my fantasy that some day they will remake it as a mini-series. I know .. I am sick. ; )
Hmmm...fav book that has already been turned into a movie would be Of Mice and Men with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich.
ReplyDeleteBook that I would like to see made into a movie??
Envy or Rainwater by Sandra Brown.
Also, I have high hopes for 50 Shades of Grey as a movie, as long as they don't try to PG13 it and keep the raunchy aspect. With the right actors I think the story has merit.
Neuromancer.
ReplyDeleteThe Gate to Womens' Country.